Yours
by lesliewoot
Summary: Tom Cummings is Camp X's newest recruit. Alice Campbell wants nothing to do with him.
1. Chapter 1

Alice is fairly certain she's forgotten what the outside of camp looks like. As she walks past the field and turns onto the path towards the lake, she's surprised at how vivid everything is in the sunshine. She feels a bit surreal - her days consist of beeping, typing, and writing, and the sudden quietness around her is almost unnerving.

She's careful to follow the direct path laid out by Duncan Sinclair's men - _'there are large amounts of live explosives out there, ladies, and they're not going to be polite, even to you'_ \- and almost laughs when she thinks back to her first month, when she had been afraid to walk down here. It feels like a lifetime ago.

The messy gravel path gives way to stones. Alice finds a giddy sort of feeling in the noise her shoes make against the rocks as she approaches Lake Ontario, her green army jacket slung over her arm. She finally reaches the water, and watches as it rushes gently over the rocks as the tide rolls in and out, bending down and letting it glide past her fingers. She's careful not to let the water get into her black Mary Janes, knowing full well that she won't be able to change since this is the only break she's going to get today - and she's lucky she's gotten one at all. They are at _war_ , after all.

Alice sighs, closing her eyes and embracing the quiet murmuring sound of the water gently running across the rocks. She's not sure when the last time was that she managed to fit in some silence - it feels as though her world is on a constant running wheel. As she stands there, she's overcome with memories, and lifts her jacket up to hug it to her chest.

The lake has always been a source of stillness in Alice's otherwise crazy life. Ever since she can remember, she'd been going down to the little harbour just outside of Toronto to bask in its silence. When she was much younger, her parents had brought her down for lazy summer days by the water; when she'd turned 16, she'd gotten her license and had borrowed the car to come down on her own at least once a month. When she'd started university a few years ago, visits had been far and few between, but amidst the essays and assignments, she'd managed to make it a couple of times.

And, even now - when things are so, so very different - for Alice, the lake is still an unquestionable source of peace in the rare moments she gets to visit it.

The spot she visits now is an entirely different part of the lake than the one from her childhood - it's about an hour away from her old quiet spot just outside of downtown Toronto. But it comforts her to know that it's the same water, the same waves, the same sounds. She wishes she could take comfort, too, in knowing that she was the same girl beside the lake that she's always been - but she knows that that couldn't be further from the truth.

A sudden round of muffled gunfire from the field behind her has her startled, and she whips around towards the noise. Just like that, her sense of calmness and security is gone, and her heart is threatening to beat out of her chest as she comes back to reality. She takes deep breaths to calm herself down, shutting her eyes firmly as she counts to ten. She feels like a small child as she does so, but it works, and when her eyes reopen, her heart rate is on its way back to steady.

She gathers herself up with one last deep inhale and exhale before she turns to head back up the path. Just before she reaches the gravel, her eyes fall on a smooth, grey rock in the sea of stones, that appears to be perfectly oval. She picks it up and clutches it in her fist as she slips her jacket back on, before putting it in her pocket.

She's careful as she makes her way up the path, doing up the buttons of her jacket as she walks. She hears the occasional gunshot from the practice field, but since she's prepared for them now, the sounds don't frighten her.

She passes through the field, passing some patrol guards, and reaches the guarded entrance to the compound. She flashes her ID badge again, even though she's worked at the camp for more than half a year. The security around a place like this has to be tight, she understands. She smiles and nods at the guard who lets her through, and she lifts a hand to smooth over her hair as she reaches the main building.

She checks her watch quickly as she opens the door, cursing under her breath at the realization that she's 5 minutes over her time. Her heels click loudly on the floor as she walks quickly down the hall. Her gaze falls through the glass windows and onto the all-too-familiar radio room, where it feels as though she's spent her entire life. She winces as she sees Duncan Sinclair, director of the Camp, standing with the ladies at attention, about to give them information.

She makes eye contact with him through the glass, and he pauses in his speech, giving her a pointed eyebrow raise. She curses under her breath again, and heads in his direction.

She's known Duncan for as long as she can remember. Her grandfather and Duncan's father had served side by side in WWI, and remained friends long after. Duncan and her dad had practically been raised together, and when they'd had kids of their own, the friendships had continued.

Over the years, William and George, Duncan's sons, had become some of Alice's closest friends. When the two boys had signed up for service at the outbreak of war, she'd been devastated. She'd been adamant that she would do her part, too - she'd drop her university degree and leave to be a nurse in England or on the front.

Her parents, though, had convinced her to finish the last year of her degree, and she'd obliged, albeit begrudgingly - how was her sitting at a desk for hours going to help anyone? Still, she'd somehow managed to devote herself to her schoolwork, and had graduated with a stunning set of marks; not to mention, she'd been one of a few women at the university, and she couldn't have been prouder.

She remembers well the day that Duncan had decided to extend an offer to her to join Camp X. He had come for a visit just after she had graduated, while her mind was set on leaving for Europe within the month. He'd pulled her aside under the premise of offering his congratulations, and instead had offered her a job.

 _You want to help with the war effort?_ He'd asked. She'd nodded, warily, and he'd continued: _You don't have to go all the way to Europe._

She'd opened her mouth to protest, but he'd held up his hand and she grew silent again. She'd had no idea what he was talking about, but she remembers her heart racing with anticipation as he'd explained what little he could.

 _I can't tell you what it is, Alice, but you're going to have to trust me. I know you'd be perfect for this job. I've known you my whole life - you're brilliant, you're dedicated and you're tough. We need girls like you._

She wasn't sure what had prompted her to agree. Perhaps it was the excitement of secrecy - _absolutely no one can know about what we do, Alice_ \- or the praising of her abilities. Whatever it had been, she'd accepted. That was six months ago - though she felt it had actually been six years instead.

The swinging doors seem to make even more noise than usual as she enters the room. The other girls turn to look at her, and she tries her best to look nonchalant.

"Nice to have you back, Mrs. Campbell," Sinclair greets her. His tone is professional with a slight sarcastic edge - it's a bit scolding, even - but as she meets his eyes, he gives her a nod and she knows he's not truly upset. She mouths a thank you, and she receives the faintest of smiles before his stone face returns.

"As I was _saying_ , ladies... We had a slow morning, but we expect to have a busy afternoon, and we expect contact to last well into the evening. Sit tight."

He dismisses them, and Alice slides into the chair behind her desk. Almost as soon as she picks up her headphones, the beeping starts, and she gets to work.

 **xxxxxx**

 **hello, FF! This is my first ever fic for this site, and my first X Company fic. I started writing this awhile ago, before the awful s2 finale, but now it's become a way to cope... I'm still not fine.**

 **Please comment and review, so I know someone, anyone, is reading!**

 **Xx, Leslie**


	2. Chapter 2

Alice rarely sleeps. Since she started working at the camp 6 months ago, she swears she's gotten about 10 hours total. They have barracks, mind you, for the girls as well as the agents, but the agents spend way more time in those barracks than anyone working the radio room with HYDRA. However, the HYDRA girls had devised a system so that everyone got a two hour rotation on Duncan's cot overnight. Duncan didn't say anything about it; unless it was urgent, he finished his work elsewhere in the building.

The one redeeming thing about working so much, Alice will admit, is the girls she works with. She's made some close friends in the room. She's become undoubtedly closest with Eliza, a shy, quiet girl from B.C., Jane, a cheeky, morse-code-transmitting record holder from the University of New York, and Eleanor, a talkative, hard-working girl from northern Ontario. They worked well together - all of the girls in the room did. Despite the tense atmosphere and stress, the room dynamic was a good one.

She's just spent another night encoding and decoding, catching a couple of hours on the cot in Duncan's room on her rotation, but she's exhausted. She sets her headphones down, standing and grabbing the records off her desk.

She hears the creaking of the swinging doors, and looks up. She pauses briefly, her eyes landing on Sinclair, then traveling to the man next to him, who she doesn't recognize. He's tall and slim, with brown hair, and he's wearing a white t-shirt and green army pants. He looks like he's ready to train, she realizes, and she turns to Eleanor.

"Who's that?"

Eleanor looks up, her eyes finding the man, before looking back at Alice. "The American."

Alice racks her brain. "Oh, yes. I forgot he was scheduled to arrive today. I hardly know what day it is half the time."

Eleanor murmurs in agreement, consumed in her work once more, and Alice chances one last glance at the newcomer before heading towards the record room. She's about to pass the two men without incident when Duncan stops her, and she has to hold back a sigh. If she's being honest, she could care less about meeting the new recruit. American, Eleanor had said. Where had this guy, and the rest of his country, been since the beginning?

"Alice, I'd like for you to meet Tom Cummings," Duncan says, and the man holds out his hand. "First American through the gates," Duncan adds, his hand falling to pat Tom on the back. Alice reaches out to shake his hand stiffly.

"American, huh? Nice of you to show up," she says with a tight-lipped, forced smile. She pulls her hand away from his and abruptly turns on her heel, heading towards the record room.

After filing her reports, Alice heads back into the hall. It's empty, she notices, and she can't help but pause. She leans her back against the white wall, taking a moment to breathe. She knows their work is important - perhaps some of the most important work for the Allies - but sometimes she wishes everything was normal again.

 _Nonsense_ , she scolds herself, lifting her head and running a hand through her dark auburn hair. _You can't think like that - this is your life now, and this is the world, Alice._

* * *

Alice walks into the room with her files, her eyes on the paper in front of her. She chances a glance up to find the American man standing outside Duncan's office. He shoots her a grin when they make eye contact, and she rolls her eyes, passing him and heading to her desk. She's about to sit down when the door slams open, and a soldier in field gear runs in, his eyes wild.

"He's dead."

The room is stunned into silence, everyone stopping what they're doing.

"Jimmy's dead," the man speaks again, and no one says a word. The soldier glances quickly around him, panicked, his eyes locking with Alice's for a moment as he whispers, "That's going to be me."

Alice is frozen in place. The soldier finally looks away and down at his feet, before murmuring again, "That's going to be me." He looks up, a crazed look in his eyes as he turns to one of the other girls. His voice raises as he begins to shout, his entire body trembling. "That's going to be me!" He yells. "I'm going to die. I'm going to die."

Within moments, two other soldiers are holding the man down, with Tom's help.

"Send for the nurse," Duncan says to Alice quietly, and she nods, taking a silent step backwards towards her desk. The soldier is so distraught he doesn't notice as she quickly calls down to the infirmary. The nurse arrives almost immediately, as the man continues to yell, his voice breaking into sobs.

"I don't want to die," he cries, and Alice feels her heart break a little.

The nurse quickly injects him with a needle, and his panicked movements immediately cease. Tom stands up and takes a step back. The other two soldiers stand up as well, one of them wiping his forehead free of sweat.

"What happened out there?" Duncan asks calmly.

One of the soldiers takes a step forward. "Private James was killed in shooting practice, sir. Accidental death."

Duncan nods, lifting a hand to his forehead. "Alright. I'll write to his parents. Thank you, Higgins. Reynolds, help Higgins get Johnson to the infirmary." The two men salute, before helping the nearly unconscious man stand up. The two soldiers begin to walk down the hall with him, his arms hung limply around their shoulders.

The nurse turns to Duncan. "Should I keep him subdued, sir?"

"Take care of him as best you can. But we can't send him home, he's seen too much here," Duncan says to the nurse quietly, but Alice hears it, and she can tell Tom has heard it, too.

She looks up at the man beside her to find his face panicked and afraid. He stares down the hall for a few moments after the soldier has left, before tearing his gaze away and looking to the floor. He looks simultaneously shocked and terrified, and Alice sighs.

"You'd better get used to that. Welcome to the real world, America," she says shortly, and Tom turns to her in surprise. His eyebrows furrow as he processes her harsh words, but she doesn't give him a chance to retaliate as she turns on her heel back to her desk. She hears the door open as Tom exits, his footsteps echoing down the hall. As she sits down, she feels eyes on her, and she looks up and across at Eliza. She raises her eyebrows in question, and the quieter girl shrugs.

"That was out of line, Alice," she says, and Alice is taken aback.

She feels her innate defensiveness threaten to take over as she shoots back, "And why's that?"

"Eliza's right," Eleanor says from beside her. Alice turns to her other friend in disbelief. "Give the guy a break."

Alice isn't sure what to make of the conversation. She rolls her eyes, turning back to her work. "He's had a break since the war started," Alice mutters under her breath, "alongside the rest of his country."

"Jane is American," Eliza points out.

"And Jane's been here since we opened," Alice retorts. She sees Jane look up at the sound of her name from where she's been talking to one of the other girls across the room, and Alice is reminded how small the room actually is. She lowers her voice as she adds, "It bothers me that it took them so long, alright? Can we leave it?" The other girls mutter in agreement, and Alice sighs as they get back to work.

She can't help but wonder if maybe she had been a little bit harsher than she should have been. She's always been told by her parents that she needs to be careful about the things she says. If there was one thing that hasn't changed since she came to Camp X, that was it. She bites her lip before dismissing the thought and picking up her pencil.

* * *

Thank you so much for all the love already! Reviews and comments are food for the writer's soul, so please please please comment, even if it's just a smiley face!

Huge sshoutout to for her constant support of me and Alice. She's the author of the brilliant Neil story, **Home** \- go check it out! I've gotten a sneak peek of the next chapter and it is HUGE.

PS- disclaimer, I have nothing against Americans!

PPS- still not over the finale.

xx, Leslie


	3. Chapter 3

Alice is bent over a table in one of the classrooms, carefully painting inside the lines of her _Free France_ poster. She, alongside three other HYDRA girls, had been selected to paint propaganda posters at Sinclair's request. Though Alice had been promoted to Staff Sergeant a month or so ago, she was willing to help whenever Sinclair asked – and he did. It made Alice feel important, but it also made her feel _tired_.

She was always tired.

She carefully traces an 'e', completely focused on the task at hand. A select number of the posters would be distributed across Canada to establish morale and to warn of enemy spies. _'Keep mum, she's not so dumb!' 'Careless talk costs lives!'_ It all seemed a bit ridiculous to Alice, but they'd been taught about the importance of flyers in building the nation's morale.

Arguably the most important, however, were the posters that were to be distributed across France, where a number of the camp's agents would be dropped. _'_ _Honneur et Patrie, la France vous parle._ _Honour and Patriotism, France is speaking to you.' '_ _Un seul combat pour un seule patrie!_ _One fight for one nation!'_ The aim of these posters was to recruit French Resistance with the goal of hitting the enemy from behind their own lines. Alice, along with the others – even the agents – were on a need to know basis, and that was all Alice knew. She didn't know when the posters would be sent or with who; if they'd be sent by airdrop, or in someone's suitcase. She knew the secrecy of everything was for everyone's safety, but sometimes her curiosity itched to get the better of her.

Alice looks up as Duncan walks in - with Tom in tow. She holds back a sigh. Duncan stops at the front of the room, and she straightens up to listen, her paintbrush in hand.

"Ladies," Duncan begins, "Mr. Cummings here comes from a specialized background in propaganda and deception, and I'd like for him to observe what's going on here. Everyone continue work as is." He nods, before patting Tom on the shoulder and leaving the room.

Alice ignores the tall blond man, getting back to work on her poster. She hears him stop beside one of the younger girls, Stella, and can't help but eavesdrop.

"So, Tom, you specialize in propaganda and marketing?"

"Yes, ma'am," Tom responds, and Alice rolls her eyes as she hears Stella giggle.

"Anything else you specialize in?" Stella asks flirtatiously, and Alice is sure her eyes can't roll back any further. She purposefully tunes out the conversation as Tom responds, bending down to look at the handwritten lettering she's added to the poster. She can feel him stop behind her, and she tries to ignore him as he watches her work.

"Have you ever thought about maybe making it less... Obvious?" Tom speaks from behind her. "I mean, if you want to recruit resistance, you're going to have to make it subtle. Germans catch wind of any recruitment plan, who knows what they'll do."

Alice straightens and looks at him. She stares at him evenly before replying, "I'll take that into consideration." She pauses, before adding curtly, "Even though I didn't design this poster." She raises an eyebrow, and Tom furrows his brows. As she turns back to her work, she sees him cross his arms out of the corner of her eye. He's silent for a moment before speaking again.

"We're not going to get along, are we?"

Alice ignores his question. "I have work to do, Mr. Cummings."

"I'm trying to help."

"I'm sure someone else would love your help, Mr. America."

Tom inhales a deep breath before responding. "You know what? I'm here when the rest of my country isn't, Scarlett. That's got to mean something to you." She's surprised at his words, blinking slowly before recovering. She ignores the dig at her dark red hair, and lifts her chin in defiance as she sets down her paint brush after finishing the last letter.

"Do you even want to be here? Or did they just send you?"

"I volunteered, actually," he replies evenly. She nods slowly, matching his even gaze for a moment, before straightening her jacket and heading back to the radio room.

"Don't be so quick to judge, Scarlett," he calls after her.

"It's Alice," she calls brusquely over her shoulder, letting the door slam shut behind her.

* * *

After lunch and what seems like hours back at the radio, Duncan pulls Alice aside. He wants her to record the times of morse code messages sent by the new recruits while he observes and ensures the messages are correct. He introduces the young men, who are all smiles, which makes Alice smile wistfully. _They have no idea what they're in for,_ she thinks to herself. She's nodding at each introduction until the last one, and she feels her heart sink as she hears a familiar name.

"…This is George." Duncan's voice lowers just barely at the name, and only Alice knows why. The five other men in the room don't notice, and Alice strains to keep her composure. She manages to keep a straight face until she's finished in the room and Sinclair is satisfied, and then she heads into the hall while Duncan gives the men a final speech.

She clutches the clipboard to her chest, shutting her eyes as she leans against the wall. _This is not the time to get emotional_ , she tells herself. She almost laughs – when is ever the time to be emotional these days? She takes a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm herself down.

This is the first George they've had since Duncan's son was pronounced dead two months ago. She remembers the day well; Duncan had been sitting in his office late one evening, an empty glass of scotch on his desk, when Alice had entered with some delivered mail. She'd stopped in her tracks when she'd found Duncan, a man she'd never seen cry in all the years she'd known him, with tears in his eyes as he stared blankly in front of him. Without a word of prompting on Alice's part, he'd whispered, "George," and she'd just known. Her heart had fallen into her shoes, she'd reached for the edge of the chair to steady herself, and she'd dropped the envelopes on the floor. For a week, she'd gone through her duties emotionlessly and mindlessly; Duncan seemed to be fine, though Alice knew his bottle of scotch was growing emptier with every night that passed. Then she'd read the newspaper clipping, and she'd cried in the bathroom for longer than she cared to admit. Then she'd washed her face, straightened her jacket, smoothed her hair, and headed back out into the office like nothing was wrong. And she'd been doing the same ever since.

So she's surprised at herself - she's been numb to any feeling about it since about a week after they found out about George's fate. Whenever he's mentioned, which is scarce, she feels a dull pain and ache, but she's able to quickly suppress it. She's not sure why she's unable to control it at this moment, and curses herself for being vulnerable. She continues to breathe deeply, until she's startled into standing straight by the door to the room beside her opening. The five young men file out first, and as they head down the hall and out the doors towards the field, her eyes linger longer on the last man out.

 _George_. As Sinclair steps out beside her, he does the same, before placing a hand on Alice's shoulder. He squeezes, meeting her eyes briefly, before heading back towards his office. Alice follows wordlessly.

* * *

 **Sorry for the kind of short chapter, and for the lack of Tom! It's all important backstory, though, and he'll feature prominently soon ;)**

 **THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL THE COMMENTS!**

 **As always, reviews and favourites are always welcomed and appreciated. Also, if you guys could spread the word, that would rock!**

 **I hope you're all well. I'm still recovering from that finale, but don't worry - I won't be following that particular end. No need to stress - in my happy world, everyone lives.**

 **xx, Leslie**


	4. Chapter 4

Since she's been at the Camp, Alice's days have all begun to blur together. There's plenty of excitement, sure – the excitement never really stops at Camp X – but it's always the same. However, since Tom Cummings has arrived – and despite her irritation towards the newcomer – she has to at least admit that he's brought with him a new form of excitement. The ladies in the radio room didn't always get to see the new agents; the agents were often too busy training outside or in any of the various training rooms to be brought into the radio room. But since Tom arrived, his background in written and audial propaganda have him in Duncan's office a fair bit – which means that very often, he's passing through or waiting in the radio room.

Today, Alice is intercepting on a lazy day of messages, which means that she's able to pay her work half the attention. The other half is listening to the blond American tell a crowd of female radio operators about his work back in Virginia as he waits for Duncan's orders. The girls are completely enthralled – and understandably so. He's an amazing storyteller, Alice will begrudgingly admit. And she isn't blind – he's a handsome, handsome man. Tall, slender, but entirely fit – she'd have to be completely daft to think he was unattractive. _Perhaps if he dialled down the ego, he'd be tolerable_ , she thinks to herself.

He's currently telling them about a radio broadcast that he scripted that had been sent out across America – she rolls her eyes as he pretends to be humble about it.

"400 men in one day," he says, "that were suddenly ready to serve, if need be, because of one convincing radio broadcast."

The girls all sigh in awe, and Alice rolls her eyes, glancing across at Eleanor, who looks back at her, amused. Alice looks down at her work as the conversation continues.

"All because of _your_ radio broadcast," one of the girls points out, and Alice looks up to see Tom attempting to look sheepish as he brushes off the compliment.

"I was just doing my job," he quips, and Alice has decided that she's done being amused by the display, and wants nothing more than for them all to leave the room.

"Tom."

The room goes silent as a voice calls out sternly from the doorway, and Tom sits up straight, turning towards the voice. Alice has to hide her smirk as Duncan solemnly motions for Tom to follow him.

"Ladies," Tom says with a nod of his head in parting. He stands up from where he's been resting against the desk, and as he passes Alice, he bows his head with a smirk. She stares back evenly, not reacting, before he continues out the door to where Duncan has disappeared.

* * *

Alice stands in Duncan's office days later, nodding as he rattles off all the tasks for the day and any information he thinks she needs to know. She scribbles away, but her hand stops midsentence as he adds one last afterthought.

"… and we've sent Mr. Cummings over to Camp 30 to speak to a Luftwaffe prisoner. We think this guy has intel on a couple Luftwaffe headquarters in France that could be useful for our agents. If Tom can make him talk, the amount of intelligence we'd receive would be incredibly helpful for the Allies."

Alice is still paused, pen in midair. Duncan doesn't seem to notice as he scribbles something of his own onto a paper pad on his desk.

"Sir?"

She says it in the form of a question, and Duncan looks up with raised eyebrows.

"Yes, Mrs. Campbell?"

She pauses before blurting out, "You sent him to Camp 30 already? With all due respect, he's only been here two weeks, sir."

Duncan stands up straighter, and Alice wishes she hadn't said anything. But instead of scolding her like she expects him to, he says, "You should hear the guy, Alice. I've never met someone even half as charismatic. No one has been able to get this prisoner to talk, and I wanted to see if Tom could. I know it's a bit of a risk of ruining good intelligence, but I think this time it's worth the early risk. I really think he has the ability to do it."

Alice nods slowly, moving to place her hands behind her back. "Yes, sir."

Duncan moves to look at the big map of Europe that's beside his desk, his back to her. "Tom was nervous," he says absentmindedly, and she wonders if he's just talking out loud to himself. "Didn't want to mess anything up for us. The kid doesn't realize the talent he's got." He pauses, scratching his jaw before turning back to her, seemingly coming back from his reverie. "You're dismissed, Sergeant."

Alice nods again before adding a brisk, "Sir." She turns, and heads out the double doors.

As she walks towards the record room to grab some information on a Nazi soldier they were in the middle of investigating, the conversation with Sinclair runs through her mind. She found it strange that Tom had been so humble to Duncan about his skill with words. It was interesting, since the humbleness was coming from the same man who just the other day had been bragging about his work back in the States; the man who appeared to be Mr. Confident in all aspects of life. She couldn't help but wonder if the humbleness was genuine or not.

* * *

She's at her desk later that afternoon when Tom walks in, fresh off his excursion to Camp 30. To her surprise, he heads straight for the office, no stops or smirks for anyone as he passes. She can tell he's focused, a file folder under his arm. Alice watches as he disappears into the other room, closing the door behind him. She wants to know if he had succeeded in finding anything out, but she forcibly suppresses her curiosity and gets back to work.

It's at least an hour before Tom leaves Duncan's office again. Alice glances up at the sound of the doors swinging, and she can see Tom's lean silhouette walking down the hall through the glass. Duncan exits his office soon after and heads over to her.

"Look at this."

Duncan hands her the report, and she can tell he's pleased. She begins to scan the first page, and she can hardly believe her eyes. Exact coordinates, names of important people, important towns. The soldier had given everything to Tom, and the information had all checked out to be accurate. She hates to admit it, but - she's impressed. She's _really_ impressed.

* * *

The next morning, Alice, Krystina and Sinclair stand in his office, going over training regimes and information on all the recruits at the Camp.

"Krystina, what's the progress on your groups?" Duncan asks.

"Jack, Sheila, James and Carol are having a bit of trouble communicating. Their latest times for a mock rescue mission were pretty slow - they're having trouble deciding on courses of action. I think we need to single out a leader who can take charge, sir. I would suggest Sheila."

Krystina continues to ramble off about the different agents and their teams, Duncan nodding and scribbling as she speaks. When she's done, Alice chimes in about the agents she's been observing.

"Aurora, Neil, Rene and Harry have been coming along nicely. They work well together and have all received near perfect scores on intelligence tests. So far, they're all doing well in physical training, though Harry has had much less since he's busy in here with the machines. Neil, Rene, and Aurora, though, could hit a target blind, and Neil is above the rest when it comes to hand to hand."

"What do you think about putting Tom with them?"

Alice pauses to think about what she's seen from the man, then nods. "I think that would be best, sir," she responds affirmatively. "We've got the brain, the brawn, the actress, the leader. All we need is the words man, and Tom's clearly it. With this latest stint at Camp 30, he's shown what he can do."

Duncan thinks for a moment. "He'll need to be put through some physical training before they're sent into the field, however."

Alice hums in agreement. "According to the records, he passed most of the physical tests, with average scores. He's quite physically fit." She clears her throat, ridding herself of the image of the handsome blond man before continuing, "With some practice, I think he could develop well."

Duncan nods, and she can tell he's thinking it through. "Very good. That will be all. Thank you, ladies."

Both ladies murmur a 'sir' before turning to leave the room. As they head out of Duncan's office, Krystina turns to Alice.

"You really think Cummings has it in him? I haven't seen much of him, but he seems like more of a talker."

Alice shrugs, lifting a hand to push away a strand of hair that has fallen out of her updo. "He is a talker," she confirms, "but like I said, I think with a bit of training, he could be as good a well-rounded agent as the rest of them."

Krystina nods slowly. Alice can tell the other woman has something more to add, and she waits for her to speak again. "He's quite handsome," Krystina finally says with a smirk. Alice raises her eyebrows, and Krystina shrugs. "Just an observation."

"He is," Alice confirms hesitantly. She waits as Krystina stares back at her with a knowing smirk on her lips, before the other woman gives her a nod and turns on her heel to walk away. Alice stands there for a moment, confused, before shaking her head and heading back to her desk.

* * *

 **Hello! Sorry for the late posting, guys - my computer was in the shop until Wednesday! Hopefully this chapter makes up for it! I'm quite proud of the way this story is progressing, and I hope you guys are enjoying it. Don't worry - there will be lots of Tom soon!**

 **I know some of you ship Krystina x Tom, and I apologize but in this story there is no love triangle! Krystina is simply a friend and coworker of Alice's who can acknowledge a handsome man when she sees one, hehehe.**

 **Thank you all for your lovely comments so far - you all rock! Please spread the word and as always, comments are always welcome!**

 **xx, Leslie**


	5. Chapter 5

It's been a week since Tom joined the group of agents. Alice hasn't had time to observe the group again herself, but according to the training reports, the American had been coming along nicely.

She's walking down the hall late one afternoon when she catches sight of movement in the field, and she pauses to glance out the window. She watches as Aurora, Neil, Harry, Rene and Tom practice hand-to-hand, her eyes immediately drawn to the tall American. It's her first time seeing him train physically, and she's surprised to find him holding his own. He's only been at the camp itself a few weeks - and he's only been training with this group for one - and he can already take down Harry. Though that's not saying a whole lot, it's a start, especially for someone with no prior experience in combat. As she watches, she remembers overhearing Sinclair talking about Tom's progress to Mayhew that morning.

 _He's proven to be a bit gun shy, as expected_ , Duncan had said. _But he's got an incredible way with words - as we already know. The kid can apparently talk his way out of anything, even a fight. We can't let him rely just on that, though, and once we've worked on his actual combat training, I'm confident he'll be a solid, well-rounded agent. A great addition to the team._

Alice can't help but smile a bit to herself as she watches Aurora take the much bigger man down without a hitch. Despite how pleased she is that Aurora was able to take Tom down so quickly, she's surprisingly impressed by the man yet again as he stands back up almost immediately and squares off with the blonde woman again.

As she continues to watch out the window, her gaze wanders across the field to where others are training. There are half a dozen other agents scattered here and there, both in groups and alone, and she knows even more are training inside. They all look tough and ready to fight, but Alice can't help but feel a small sense of dread creep in.

 _Who knows where they'll all go? And who knows if they'll make it home?_

She breathes in deep, closing her eyes and counting to three, before setting back off down the hall.

 _Chin up, Alice. Do your job, let them do theirs, and hope that together, you can make something of a difference in this war._

* * *

Alice is sitting at her desk later that afternoon when she sees Aurora, Neil, Harry, Rene and Tom walk down the hall. They push through the doors across the hall and enter the lounge, and Alice nods as Duncan leaves his office and motions for her to follow. She stands up and cuts across the hall, opening the doors to the lounge and following Duncan in.

As Duncan debriefs the team, Alice stands by and listens. When he's finished, she stands by as all the agents walk out the door, her head snapping up as she hears Duncan stop Tom. She's been trying to think of a subtle way to compliment Tom on his training, but it seems Duncan has had the same thought.

"Great job out there, Tom," Duncan says proudly, extending his hand for a handshake. Tom's mouth spreads into a smile as he reaches for Duncan's hand.

"Thank you, sir."

Duncan nods, and Tom takes a step back to let him pass. As Tom continues to hold the door for her, Alice passes him and is about to turn to him with a quick _'good job'_ when he speaks.

"What do you think, Scarlett?" He's smirking over at her, and she raises her eyebrows.

"What do I think about what?"

"Do _you_ think I'm doing a great job?" He looks so smug that she immediately takes back any compliment she was going to give him. Her guard immediately flies back up, and she crosses her arms.

"I think you're full of yourself," she retorts, "and I've seen you - you're a bit gun shy, too. Why don't you talk to the barrel of a gun and see how well it listens?"

He's startled, she can tell, but he recovers quickly. "So you've been watching?" he asks with a smirk.

Now it's her turn to be taken aback. She curses the blush that rises on her cheeks as she shoots back, "Yes. Because it's my _job_."

Tom nods, holding up his hands in defeat, but the smirk is still on his face, as if he knows something she doesn't. Alice's mouth forms in a straight line, biting back any other remark as he turns to walk away. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath through her nose.

* * *

A few days later, Duncan approaches Alice in the radio room as she's just finished a round of interceptions. She's just set her headphones down with a sigh when he walks over.

"Alice," he nods. "Do you mind giving me a run through of the agents' weapon concealment? I heard you and some of the others had a few suggestions."

Alice is flattered. She knows Duncan values her opinion, but hearing that he wants to actively put some of her ideas into place sends a feeling of overwhelming pride through her.

"Of course. Some of the girls and I came up with a new design that would enable more weapons and better concealment. If you give me a moment, I can fetch the blueprints."

She grabs the papers from the drawer in the back room, and she looks them over as she heads back to the area where they keep all the undercover clothing and materials. She meets Duncan at the door and he shows her around the back of the racks, where Alice is unpleasantly surprised to see Tom standing there - with a grey pinstripe suit on.

Of _course_ he's the person they have wearing the suit. She should have known this would be her luck.

"Hey, Tom," Duncan greets. Tom nods in response, then turns to Alice with a grin.

"Scarlett," he offers as a greeting. She sees Duncan look briefly between the two of them at the name, but he doesn't say anything, and she's never been more grateful. She ignores Tom's remark and gets to work.

"Can you hold your arms up, please, Private Cummings?" He does as he's told, and she can feel him watching her, but she tries her best not to pay it any mind as she touches the end of his sleeve. "So we'd keep the knife inside the sleeve, obviously," she says to Sinclair. "We thought about adding a little flap inside to help keep it concealed, but still easy to pull out and grab."

She lifts up the side of the jacket, and gestures to Tom's belt. "Gun in here," she says. Without thinking, her fingers brush just above the belt on his side. She realizes quickly what she's done when she feels him flinch at the sudden contact, even through his undershirt, and she immediately pulls her hand away. She can only pray that she's not blushing. She tries to quickly gather her thoughts, turning back to Sinclair, who thankfully doesn't look phased as he waits for her to continue.

"Um," she starts again. "Then we thought about adding another small pocket for a knife here," she points to the inside of the jacket on the opposite side. "The material is thick enough that it won't show through."

They continue like this for another ten minutes, Duncan nodding and Alice explaining. He seems pleased at the changes, patting her on the shoulder before excusing himself as Krystina calls him into the radio room. Alice tries to quickly gather up her blueprints and leave the room, but she's just turned on her heel when she hears Tom speak.

"Jack of all trades, huh?"

"Something like that," she says, pausing in her step. She throws him a look over her shoulder.

He nods, looking at her with a smirk that she tries her best to ignore. "You know a lot about weapons for a girl who doesn't seem to be carrying any on her," he quips, eyebrow raised.

She stands up straighter, turning back towards him, and raises an eyebrow. "I've got three on me as we speak."

He smirks, holding his hands up. "Alright. You got me."

"Goodbye, Agent Cummings."

"You know, you can call me Tom," he calls after her, but she's already pushed through the doors forcefully, her heels clipping against the floor as she walks brusquely back to her desk.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm SO sorry for the lack of updates. I just got a new job and I'm trying to balance a million things at once. Thank you guys so much for your patience.**

 **Leslie**


	6. Chapter 6

Days later, Alice finds herself out in the field with Krystina, clipboard in hand as 20 or so agents stand lined up in front of them. Duncan's just finished giving them instructions - hit the target with only 3 bullets.

"Okay, ladies and gentlemen, show us what you've got. This is all going back to the big guys, so make it count. I'm headed back to the office, but don't think that that means these ladies will take it easy on you." Sinclair nods at the group as he finishes his speech, and turns to head back across the field towards the main building.

"Alright," Krystina barks, and Alice eyes the group as they step to the front. "Three bullets, and you'd better hit that target."

The agents step forward, two at a time, readying their guns. Alice, Krystina, and another girl from inside step behind them, clipboards at the ready.

Alice walks down the line, observing the men and women as they shoot off their rounds. She tries to keep her face neutral as Tom steps up, but she's really curious to see what he'll do. There's been talk about his lack of ability to shoot, and she wants to know if it's true.

She watches as he hesitates, taking note of how unsteadily he's holding the gun. The agent to his left finishes and a new one steps up, and Tom still hasn't fired a shot.

"Let's go, Agent Cummings."

He glances at her quickly, as if he's surprised she's standing there. She raises her eyebrows and he looks back at the target, lifting the gun slowly. It takes a moment, but he finally pulls the trigger - and completely misses the target. She scribbles on her notepad as he lets out a noise of annoyance, before lifting the gun again.

"Come on, America, step it up," she says as he hesitates again, lowering her clipboard. He sighs frustratedly, turning to her with an exasperated look.

"As if you could do any better, Scarlett."

It's a challenge - one she knows she should ignore - but the competitiveness in her is eating away, and so she stands up taller, handing the clipboard off to Jane. She extends her hand for his gun, and he rolls his eyes before placing it in her palm.

She steps up to the marked 'x' on the ground, lifting the gun to eye level. She closes one eye, her finger on the trigger, and takes a deep breath, holding it. She pulls the trigger, and with smooth swiftness, the gun unloads. She knows immediately that she's hit the middle of the target, and watches smugly as the bullet hits red.

She turns back to Tom, extending the gun to him. He takes it back begrudgingly, and she nods.

"Your turn to impress me, Mr. Cummings."

Later that night, Alice is on her way to the cot for her hour of sleep when Duncan asks her to check in quickly on the agents in the lounge. She knew they'd been drinking - something Duncan had encouraged - and she also knew he'd have them up at the crack of dawn to run laps around the camp. It was a surprisingly efficient training exercise, as Duncan liked to say.

She's surprised when she enters the lounge to find it empty save for one person. She supposed the others had finally left for bed. She's unsure if she should speak, since the man looks lost in deep thought, but he saves her a decision by looking up and nodding as he acknowledges her presence.

"Hey."

Alice bites her lip as he takes another sip of his drink. "Hey, Cummings."

He stares down at his feet, silent for a moment before adding, "I looked like an idiot out there today, Scarlett."

"It wasn't my intent to upset you," she says, immediately defensive, crossing her arms. "And I didn't mean to offend your masculinity, or bruise your ego. I simply did what had to be done."

He stares at the glass in his hand, and to her surprise, he shakes his head. "No," he sighs. "I'm the one who made myself look bad."

She's taken aback. She had been expecting a snide remark, but the blond man says nothing more. She stands on her toes awkwardly, the room thick with the silence that surrounds them. Just when she's wondering if she should leave, he speaks up again.

"Do you think I can do it?"

She's confused. "Do what?"

He waves his hand in the air around him. "This."

She's surprised to hear genuine concern in his voice as he speaks, and she's not sure how to respond. She opts for a professional answer.

"Your scores are going up by the day, Tom," she tells him. "And I'm sure you know better than anyone that you can talk your way out of anything," she tries to joke, but he doesn't smile. It's quiet between them for another moment, until he speaks again.

"How long have you been here?"

She's startled, yet again, by his question. "Camp?" She clarifies. Tom nods, and Alice pauses. "It's been... almost 7 months now, I suppose." Tom nods slowly, taking another drink.

"Can I ask you something?" She nods. "How do you…" He pauses. "How do you not tell your family everything?" He finally speaks again, and shakes his head. "How do you lie to them every time you talk to them?"

Alice is genuinely surprised by his sudden questions and subject changes, and for a moment, she's not sure how to respond. He's a little bit drunk, she can tell, and she tries to choose her words carefully. "By telling myself I'm protecting them. That's the easiest way," she tells him softly.

He nods again, his eyebrows furrowed as if deep in thought. She turns to leave, her mind racing with the new side of the man she's just seen. She's almost out the door when he calls after her one last time.

"Hey, Scarlett?"

She rolls her eyes at the name, but turns back to him. "Yeah?"

"Sorry I'm a bit of a jerk."

* * *

 **Guys, I am SO sorry this took so long! I'm back in uni, and trying to get my life together. Here's hoping updates come soon!**


End file.
